Bridging The Wealth Divide
Bridging The Wealth Divide
Wealth management thrived on heritage—century-old names and relationships built over generations. A global wealth management firm faced a paradox: overseeing their largest wealth transfer while their heritage-based model was becoming obsolete. They needed to launch a fundamentally new approach in a landscape where trust isn't inherited but earned in completely new ways.
Their Situation:
Our investigation revealed three critical gaps:
- Billions in assets moving to heirs who questioned traditional wealth concepts.
- Traditional markers of trust and service becoming actively counterproductive.
- New forms of wealth requiring completely different risk and value frameworks.
Starting From Zero
We dove deep into research, gathering diverse inputs to uncover critical insights into fundamental questions:
- What does wealth mean when its forms and meaning evolve between generations?
- When heritage loses its power, how do you create trust and value propositions that resonate across generations?
- How do you manage wealth transfer when generations see money differently?
How We Gained Altitude
First, our investigation helped them see the core issues:
- Conducted a comprehensive analysis that showed their heritage was actively pushing away next-gen wealth holders
- Mapped how traditional wealth management would be disrupted by changing generational expectations
Then, we built momentum with precise solutions:
- Structured a partnership that redefined their value proposition for the next generation
- Designed a new high-margin service model, capturing value from both traditional and emerging wealth needs
Our Impact
To date, our work has resulted in:
- A strategic partnership that generated $2B in new opportunities.
- A pilot with UHNW families that achieved 'extremely favorable' engagement across next-gen members.
- Our approach now being embedded across the firm's global wealth management business
"W(A) helped us realize we couldn't have it both ways—clinging to our heritage while trying to win the next generation. They helped us stick the landing on a very bold move, and it's paying off."
— Head of Strategy